Excavating mechanism



June 15, 1943. J. J. MATUs, JR 2,322,151

EXCAVATING MECHANISM INVENTOR ATTORNEYS .June I5, 1943. J. .-1. MATus,.1R-

EXCAVATING MECHANISM Filed Oct. 27. 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTOR N EYS Patented June 15, 1943 l I a. v 2,322,151v

" ExoAvA'rrNq MEcnANIsM John J". Matus, Jr., San Juan Bautista, Calif.

Application October 27, 1941, SeriaPNo. 416,715

z'ciaims.-

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in excavatingmechanism.

An important object of my invention isto provide an excavating mechanismthat may be expeditiously mounted on or removed from -av conventionalcaterpillar tractor, or the like, and that includes means driven by thesingle power take off ofthe tractor forswinging the mechanism about avertical or horizontal axis, and for raising and lowering the excavatingbucket.

Still another object of my invention is to provide an excavatingmechanism of the abovementioned character that may be operated by oneman and that may be inexpensively manufactured and applied to thetractor.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent during thecourse of the following description.

In the drawings, forming a part of this` specifcation, vand wherein likenumerals are ernployed vto designate like parts throughout the same, l

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a device embodying my invention, andshowing the same associated with a traction engine, and

Figure 2 is a top plan View of the same and showing parts broken away.

Figure 3 is an enlarged side View of the drums shown in Figure'2,showing the means for holding the same against rotation.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration,is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral Il!designates a traction engine of the caterpillar type. seat II at one endthereof andthe power take olf unit I2 projects from the frame of thecaterpillar below the drivers seat.

The excavating mechanism comprising my invention is adapted to beattached tothe end of the caterpillar frame below the power take olfunit I2 and the supporting platform I3 is provided at one end with aplurality of spaced openings Awhich receive the bolts I4 for connectingthe'same to the frame. The connecting end of the platform is ofsubstantially the same width as the frame and the oppositeend thereofextends substantially rearwardly thereof. Thev four marginal edges I5 ofthe platform are preferably bent downwardly and welded or otherwisesecured to each other to provide maximum rigidity therefor. Castors I6are pivotally mounted on the underside of the platform at opposite` Theengine is provided with a drivers zontal position and pivot freelyrelative thereto in a manner to in no way hinder the normal operation ofthe caterpillar.

The king post I1 is mounted on the longitudinal center of the platformadjacent the outer end thereof. The lower end of the king post isprovided with an integral disk-like plate I1 formed centrally with adepending journal I8 which operates within a bearing I9 provided in thesupporting platform. The journal is adapted to rotate freely within thebearing and to permit turning of the disk and king post about a vertical.castors operating within the track and assuring axis. The bottom sideof the plate I1 is provided with a plurality of circumferentially spacedsmall rollers or castors 20 which ride within a track on the upper`surface of the supporting platform. T he castors 20 mutually coact toprevent binding of the journal within its bearing when stress is appliedto the king post to effect pivotal movement of the same about its axis,the

asrnooth pivotal operation of the king post about its axis.

Substantially all of the weight will be applied to the king post from apoint spaced substantially laterally thereof and' the brace rods 2I areprovided to assure adequate support therefor. The brace rods compriseupper rod sections 22 connected to the radially extending tabs 23 ofthe-collar 24 which is carried by the post adjacent its upper end. Thelower rod sections 25 are connected to the forward end of the tractorframe by the coil springs 26 and the adjacent ends of the rod sectionsare screw-,threaded and connected by the turnbuckles 21. By rotating theturnbuckles, the pull of the rods against the king post may beselectively adjusted and the coil springs 26 are essentially heavy topermit the rods and post to yield slightly if an excessive loadislapplied to the post.

The lower end of the boom 28 is secured to the mounting 29 positionedadjacent the periphcollar 34. post in amanner to be freely rotatablerelative ery of the base plate Il by the horizontal pivot pin 29 and theupper end thereof is provided with a vertical pulley 30 and a pair ofhorizontal -pulleysv3l and 32. By reason of the pivotal attachment ofthe boomI with the base plate, it may'freelyrock about a horizontal axisindependently of the plate. v

I have'provided a, hand operated mechanism for selectivelyl positioningthe boom. The manual means for actuating the boom comprises a drum 33fixedly secured to the king post by the The drum is spaced from the kingthereto and one end of the drum shaft extends v beyond the supportingparts of the collar whereby the essentially large spur gear 35 carriedthereby may engage with the essentially small gear 36 pivoted to thecollar in a manner to mesh therewith. A crossbar 31 is mounted on theupper end of the king post and includes radially extending arms 38 and39 arranged at opposite sides of the pivot. The cable 40 has one endthereof ixedly secured to the arm 38 in substantially spaced relationwith the end thereof. The cable is reeved through the pulley 32 andextends therefrom to a pulley 4| mounted on the extremity of the arm 38.From the pulley 4| the cable extends longitudinally of the bar 31 and isreeved through a pulley 42 positioned at the extremity thereof. Thecable then extends in the direction of the swinging end of the boom,reeved through the pulley 3| and returned to the arm 39 where it isreeved through the pulley 43. From the pulley 43 the cable extends inthe direction of the drum 33 to which it is attached. A portion of thecable extending between the pulley 43 and the drum passes over Y anidler pulley 44 which is carried by the bar 31 adjacent its pivot anddirectly above the drum so that the cable may not become frayed or wornby rubbing of the same against the bar. The gears 35 and 35 are providedwith a, suitable catch arrangement which may be released during theoperation of the gears but which is thereafter moved into lockedengagement therewith to normally hold the same against relativerotation. The handle 45 cooperates with the gear 36 and rotation of thehandle will cause the gears 35 and 36 to rotate the drum to wind orunwind the cable therefrom. The boom may thus be made to rock about thelower pivot 29 and the swinging end thereof may be positioned to bestmeet the exigencies of any particular situation.

The supporting plate 46 is mounted on the platform adiacent one sidethereof and the ends of the plate are provided with bearings 41 whichreceive the opposite ends of the countershaft 48. The spaced drums 49and 5U are loosely mounted for rotation on the shaft and the adjacentend of each of the drums is provided with a clutch face 5| whichcooperates with the clutch 52. The drums 49 and 50 are provided at theirouter ends with brake drums 49' and 50', around which the brake bands52' pass and are operated by the levers 53 and 54. By this arrangementthe drums are held against rotation while the boom is being moved. Theclutch is keyed to the shaft and may be moved into meshed relation 'withthe clutch face of either of the drums to iixedly connect the same withthe countershaft. The drum 49 has one end of the cable 53 securedthereto, which cable extends from the drum and under the idler pulley 54carried by the platform, around the idler pulley 55 carried by the kingpost and rearwardly thereof in the direction of the scoop 56. I'he scoopis of conventional shape and construtclon and includes a bail 51 and ashort length of cable 59. A pulley 58 is carried by the bail and thecable 59 is reeved through the pulley 58, through the pulley 60 carriedby the extending end of the cable 53 and has its opposite ends centrallysecured to the scoop at the upper and lower sides of its mouth. One endof the cable 6| is reeved through the pulley 62 carried by the kingpost, under the pulley 63 carried by the platform and connected to thedrum 56. The other end of the cable extends upwardly along the boom 28over the pulley 38 and downwardly to connect with the block of thepulley 58.

Thus, the clutch 52 may be moved into engagement with the clutch face ofthe drum 49 to wind the cable 53 thereabout and to cause the open mouthof the scoop to be moved in the direction of the platform. Similarly,the clutch 52 may be moved into engagement with the clutch face of thedrum 50 to eect winding of the cable 6| thereabout in a manner to causethe cable to elevate the scoop.

In order that the boom may be swung about a vertical axis I haveprovided the upper marginal edge of the base plate l1 with a segmentalrack 64. A gear box 65 is arranged between the plate and the power takeoff of the tractor and includes a worm shaft 66 disposed in meshedrelation with the worm gear 61 which gear is carried by a shaft 68arranged above and extending transversely of the worm shaft. One end ofthe shaft 68 extends to a position above the segmental rack and thepinion 69 carried thereby meshes with the rack.

The power take oi l2 of the tractor includes a shaft 10 which may berotated in opposite directions in the conventional manner. Spaced gears1| and 12 are loosely mounted on the shaft the adjacent sides of thegears being provided with clutch faces 13. The clutch 14 keyed to theshaft intermediate the gears may be moved into engagement with one orthe other of the gears to positively connect the same with the shaft.The gear 12 is connected to a gear 15 carried by the extending end ofthe worm shaft 66 by the endless chain 16. 'Ihe gear 1| is connected tothe gear 11 by the endless chain 18.

Movement of the clutch 14 into engagement with the clutch face of thegear 12 will cause the rotation of the worm shaft which in turn willrotate the shaft 68 whereby the meshed pinion 69 will traverse thearcuate rack 64 to effect rotation of the base plate and boom. When theclutch 14 is in the neutral position or in engagement with the clutchface of the gear 12. the gear 1|, by virtue of its loose connection withthe power take olf shaft, will not be actuated. ConsequentlyI thecountershaft 48 will not be actuated and the scoop 56 will remainstationary.

After the clutch has been engaged with the gear 12 and the power takeoff shaft made to rotate in a direction to swing the supporting base inthe proper direction, the swinging end of the boom may be positioneddirectly over the excavation. The clutch 14 may then be shifted intoengagement with the gear 1| to positively impart rotation to thecountershaft 48. Rotation of the countershaft will not effect winding orunwinding of the cables 53 or 6| from the drums until the clutch 52 isslidably moved into engagement with one or Athe other of the drums. Ifthe clutch is shifted into engagement with the clutch face of the drum5U and the power take oif shaft made to operate in a direction to windthe cable 6| therearound, the scoop will be elevated from the ground andswung to a position directly under the swinging end of the boom. Thedirection of rotation of the power take oi shaft may then be reversed tolower the scoop into engagement with the ground. If the clutch 52 isthen shifted into engagement with the clutch face of the drum 49 and thepower take 0E shaft 10 made to rotate in a direction to wind the cable53 around the drum the scoop will be moved in the direction of thecaterpillar and in a direction to gather soil or the like. When thescoop has gathered a full load of the soil the clutch may again be movedinto engagement with the clutch face of the drum 50 to elevate thescoop. The scoop may then be positioned to make suitable disposal of thecontents of the scoop. By moving the clutch 'Il into engagement with theclutch face of the gear 12 whereby the pinion 69 will traverse the rack6I to swing the boom about its vertical axis.

Each of the clutches 52 and 'Il may be connected by a suitable linkage(not shown) to a control arranged forwardly of the drivers seat Ilwhereby the driver may selectively operate the various clutches duringthe excavating operation.

It may thus be seen that one man supported by the seat Il of the tractormay control each of the clutches and the reversing mechanism of thepower take off shaft and that, by reaching behind the seat, the operatormay manually rotate the handle I5 to selectively raise or lower the boom28. 'Ihe excavating unit is entirely supported on the platform I3 whichmay be easily applied to or removed from the tractor frame by removingthe bolts Il and the endless chains 16 and 'I8 from the sprocket l2 and13. The fact that the unit may be easily removed from the tractor framepermits the tractor to serve in other capacities and is thus uniquelyadapted for use by an individual who cannot or does not wish to buy alarge cumbersome machine for excavating purposes.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention, herewith shown anddescribed, is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and

that various changes in the size, shape and arrangement of parts may beresorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention, or scopeof the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

l. An excavating apparatus, comprising a platform, a swinging boomcarried by the platform, a pulley carried by the free end of the boom, acable passing over the pulley, a scoop, a pulley block carried by thescoop and connected to the cable, a short cable having one end connectedto the scoop at the upper end adjacent .the open front end and passingaround the pulley and its opposite end connected to the bottom of thescoop adjacent the open front end, and a drag line carrying a pulleythrough which the short cable passes.

2. An excavating apparatus, comprising a platform, a swinging boomcarried by the platform, a pulley carried by the free end of the boom, acable passing over the pulley, a scoop, a bail carried by the scoopadjacent its rear closed end, a pulley block carried by the bail, aconnection between the cable and the pulley block, a short cable havingone end connected to the scoop adjacent the open iront end and passingaround the pulley and its opposite end connected to the bottom of thescoop adjacent the open front end, and a drag line carrying a pulleythrough which the short cable passes.

JOHN MATUS, Jn.

